Darth Vader (2017) 8

LEGACY'S END CONTINUES! Vader and the Inquisitorius are now hunting one of the most dangerous Jedi who is still alive…and surprisingly, it's not the Jedi you would think.

Darth Vader uses a Force choke on an Imperial Colonel, but Emperor Palpatine commands him to cease. The Emperor expresses gratitude to the Colonel for his submitted report and cautions him that he anticipates improved performance from his division in the coming weeks. Once the Colonel departs, the Emperor informs Vader that they are surrounded by inferior beings who only warrant their hatred and disdain. He advises Vader that these emotions unlock a pathway to the strength of the Dark side of the Force. He further states that death, fury, and suffering are tools of the Sith, but he cautions Vader against allowing them to overwhelm him. He concludes by stating that he has no desire to rule over a galaxy populated solely by the dead.

In the meantime, Jedi Master Jocasta Nu navigates the decimated interior of the former Jedi Temple, which sustained damage during the Great Jedi Purge. Her astromech droid, known as Beetoo, alerts her that the Coruscant underworld police have discovered their hangar. Master Nu, having infiltrated the lightly guarded Temple, is compelled to alter her strategy. The droid communicates its understanding of her directives through a series of beeps.

One of the underworld police officers voices his frustration, deeming the check a waste of valuable time. His partner responds that the sensor grid detected an unusual energy signature originating from the hangar. The first officer dismisses this, attributing it to a mere fluctuation in the city's power grid. He believes that dispatching a repair droid or a technician would be a more appropriate course of action. As the underworld police officers deliberate the insurgent threat to Coruscant, Beetoo connects to the Delta-7B Aethersprite-class light interceptor's engine. Just as the police officers gain access to the door, Beetoo triggers the ship to detonate, resulting in an explosion that seemingly eradicates any evidence of Master Nu's presence.

At the Jedi Archives, the Grand Inquisitor peruses the ancient texts. Master Nu observes him but resolves to prioritize her mission over engaging the intruder. Returning to the burning hangar, a Coruscant underworld police officer informs an Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) Major that they have gathered the majority of the wreckage and that preliminary sensor readings indicate a substantial rhydonium-based explosion. He suspects that the rhydonium was integrated into the ship's fuel system. Another officer discovers a decal bearing the symbol of the Jedi Order.

While the Coruscant police officer believes that the Jedi are no longer a threat, the ISB Major clarifies that new directives mandate the reporting of any Jedi activity to the Emperor's newly appointed enforcer, Darth Vader. While Lord Vader meditates in a tempestuous black sea, surrounded by fluttering white butterflies, he is interrupted by a servant, who informs him that the ISB has reported an incident within the city that may be connected to the Jedi.

Returning to the Temple, Master Nu employs the Force to activate a concealed door hidden behind a bookshelf. She enters a secret vault containing various artifacts, guarded by the droid Cator, who has maintained watch during her absence. At the ISB laboratory, the Major briefs Vader on the bombing incident, which he believes was a failed attempt to target the affluent district of the city. He speculates that the Jedi insignia was intended as a form of rabble-rousing graffiti.

Vader informs the Major that his assessment is incorrect. The Major attempts to reassert his authority, citing his experience as an investigator. He reminds Vader that his presence is a courtesy. Lord Vader utilizes the Force to reconstruct the wreckage of the Jedi starfighter and Beetoo. This demonstration of the Force both amazes and terrifies the Major. Lord Vader instructs the Major to order his teams to search every level of Coruscant, with the exception of the former Jedi Temple, as a Jedi is loose. When the Major suggests that the Jedi fugitive may seek refuge in the Temple, Lord Vader replies that he will personally address the threat.

Back at the Temple Archives, Master Nu completes her mission to retrieve the Order's database of every known Force-sensitive child in the galaxy, stored on a datacard. She informs Cator that the Sith have seized control of the galaxy and believes that it will require generations for the Jedi to overthrow them. However, she pledges that the Jedi will return. Master Nu intends to utilize the database to rebuild the Jedi Order. She expresses her gratitude to Cator for his service and promises to reunite with him in the future.

As she traverses the corridors of the Archives, she struggles to resist confronting the Grand Inquisitor. However, she is overwhelmed by rage at the sight of him casually browsing through her books. Consumed by anger, she leaps from a balcony and confronts him, brandishing her lightsaber.

• UPC 759606086665; November 15 , 2017 ; Marvel Comics [1] 00811; Cover A; Giuseppe Camuncoli, Francesco Mattina